Self-propelled novelty toy

ABSTRACT

A self-propelled toy, includes a “drive and control” module and a housing in the shape of a dinosaur, animal or human sliding sports player. An axle with wheels is attached to the drive and control module in the housing. A pull-back mechanism includes a motor drive/driven gear that drivingly connects to the axle drive/driven gear, wherein upon pulling back the toy body with the wheels touching the ground, the pull-back mechanism generates and stores mechanical potential energy. Upon release of the toy body, kinetic energy drives the toy in a direction opposite that of the pull-back direction. A controller is connected to the pull-back mechanism and is electrically connected to at least one light emitting diode (LED) in the toy body. When the toy is released to allow the toy to move forward, the LED is powered to generate a light signal and optionally a sound transducer generates a sound.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from provisional application No.63/223,892 filed Mar. 25, 2022, and claims benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) therefrom.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to wheeled, self-propelled toys, and moreparticularly related to a self-propelled novelty to configured with apull-back mechanism and elements that compel the toy either to “scream”or “flash eyes” or both when the self-propelled toy is in a “wound”state and released (i.e., a released state).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention overcomes the shortcomings of the known self-propelledtoys with pull-back mechanisms.

In an embodiment, the invention provides a self-propelled toy. The toyincludes a toy body, a “drive and control” module, including a housing,a connector for connecting the drive and control module to, anddisconnecting the drive and control module from, the toy body, an axlewith wheels on opposing ends and an axel drive/driven gear, attached tothe drive and control module housing, a pull-back mechanism arranged inor on the drive and control module housing that includes a motordrive/driven gear 62 that drivingly connects to the axel drive/drivengear, wherein upon pulling back the toy body with the wheels touchingthe ground, the pull-back mechanism generates and stores mechanicalpotential energy, which upon release of the toy body, translates tokinetic energy to drive the toy in a direction opposite that of thepull-back direction and a controller arranged on or in the drive andcontrol module housing, connected to the pull-back mechanism andelectrically connected to at least one light emitting diode (LED) in thetoy body, the controller including a microcontroller, or other logicalelements and an rechargeable energy source for powering themicrocontroller or other logical elements, and the at least one LED.

The controller includes at least one sensing element for sensing whenthe pull-back mechanism has generated and stored mechanical energy,defining a “primed” logical state, and when toy is released to allow thetoy to move forward, defining a “go” state. If in the primed state andthe go state, the at least one LED is powered to generate a lightsignal. Preferably, the toy body is any of a mammal, a reptile, a fish,a dinosaur, other animals/insects, or a human sports player, all with aneye, wherein the at least one LEDs are in the eyes. The toy may alsoinclude a sound transducer electrically connected to the controller thatemits a sound signal when in the primed stated and the go state. The toybody may embody a mammal, a reptile, a fish, a dinosaur, otheranimals/insects, or a human sports player, all with mouths, where asound transducer is arranged in the mouths. The sound transducers emit asound signal when in the primed stated and the go state.

The mammals, reptiles, fish, dinosaurs, other animals/insects, andsports players, move with the pull-back mechanism. While the mammals,reptiles, fish, dinosaurs, and other animals/insects, generally move ina forward direction, but the sports players move in a forward direction,but preferably in a sliding forward direction. For example, where thesports player is a soccer player, the player slides with his/her kneesbent in a forward direction, with the arms out stretched in acelebratory pose. Other sports figures such as baseball/softball playerscan slide feet first towards a base or Homeplate.

Additionally, track and field runners can be depicted as upright andrunning forwards. Furthermore, skiers can be depicted as sliding on skisdown a ski slope. Other moving sports figures may include basketballplayers, football players, hockey players, tennis players, or pickleballplayers. Optionally, the sliding or moving character can be depictedupon a small portion of a playing field, so that the pull-backmechanisms are beneath the small portion of the playing field, whichwill advance forward with the sports player positioned above the playingfield.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparentfrom the description of embodiments that follows, with reference to theattached figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 depicts a child holding a phantom 2-wheel triceratops, with afull line triceratops in full line adjacent and rolling away from thechild;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view off the Triceratops of FIG. 1 , insideelevation;

FIG. 3 is an underside perspective view of the triceratops with themechanism exploded down from the mount;

FIG. 4 shows the wheel mechanism removed from the housing;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of the wheel mechanism, attempting to showthe gear setup;

FIG. 6A is a side view of the toy highlighting the connection from acontroller to drive LED eyes;

FIG. 6B is a side view of the toy highlighting the connection from acontroller to drive the sound transducer in the mouth;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a celebratory soccer sports playersliding with the knees forward and the arms outstretched; and,

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the celebratory soccer sports playershown in partial cutaway view, displaying interior mechanical andelectrical components for the pull-back mechanism and sound and lightproducing components.

REFERENCE NUMERAL ELEMENT IDENTIFIERS

Self-propelled toy 10 Toy body 20 Eyes 22 Mouth 24 Sound emittingelement 26 Mechanical connector 30 Body-connect portion 32 Body sideconnect pins 31 Dricon connect portion 34 Openings for connect pins 35drive and control module 40 housing 42 housing ground contact point 44axle 46 wheels 48 axle driven/drive gear 50 pull-back mechanism 60 motordrive/driven gear 62 spring/tensioning mechanism 64 controller 70wire(s) 72 wire 73 Sound transducer 74 Self-Propelled Toy Sliding SportsPlayer 110 Toy Body 120 Sports Player's Eyes 122 Sports Player's Mouth124 Sound Emitting Element in Mouth 126 Drive and Control Module 140Axle 146 Drive Wheels 148 Pull-back Mechanism 160 Pull-back Motor 62Stabilizer Wings 163, Pull-back Mechanism Controller 170 Wire from LightEmitting Element in Eyes 172 Wire from Sound Emitting Transducer inMouth 173 Sound Emitting Transducer in Mouth 174 Knees of Sliding Player180, 180a Extended Arms of Sliding Player 182, 182a

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following is a detailed description of exemplary embodiments of theinvention, which are depicted in the accompanying drawings. Theexemplary embodiments are presented in such detail as to clearlycommunicate the invention and are designed to teach how to make and usethese exemplary embodiments to a person of ordinary skill in the art.However, the amount of detail offered is not intended to limit thecontemplated variations of the embodiments of the disclosed invention.On the contrary, the inventor intends to cover all modifications,equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of thedisclosed invention, as defined by the appended claims.

The invention provides a self-propelled toy 10 comprising a toy body 20attached to a “drive and control” module 40. A mechanical connector 30is arranged with a body-connect portion 32 attached to the toy body 20(e.g., underneath the toy body to minimize its visibility) and adricon-connect portion 34 connected to the drive and control module 40(e.g., on the top of the drive and control module). Connect pins 31 onthe body connect portion 32 of the mechanical connector 30 are receivedin openings for connect pins 35, as shown in the figures.

The toy body 20 may be any toy body, but preferably a 3-dimensional (3D)mammal, reptile, fish (i.e., shark) or dinosaur shaped body, and mostpreferably, the toy body includes eyes 22 in the form of light emittingdiodes and/or a mouth 24 that is at least partially open and in which ispositioned a sound-emitting element 26, such as a transducer, where theeyes and sound-emitting element are activated to emit sound and light(in a pattern), respectively, when the self-propelled toy is pulled backor wound and released.

The drive and control module 40 embodies a housing 42. On a bottom sideof the housing (opposite the top side with the dricon-connect portion34), a single axle 46 with wheels 48 on opposing ends and an axeldrive/driven gear 50 is arranged. The wheels contact the ground duringintended use, where the housing 42 also includes a ground contact point44, which is arranged relatively towards the front, when consideringthat the axle and wheels are arranged relatively towards the back of thehousing. The wheels and the ground contact point therefore provide for 3point balance ground contact, so the toy may sit or move stably withminimal friction between the ground contact point and the ground.

A pull-back mechanism 60, which preferably comprises a spring-loadedmotor mechanism, also is arranged in or on the housing 42 of the driveand control module 40, and includes a motor drive/driven gear 62, whichdrivingly connects to the axel drive/driven gear 50. When the toy bodyconnected to the housing or the drive and control module is pulled backto generate and store mechanical potential energy, the axel drive/drivengear 50 drives the motor drive/driven gear 62 (operating as a drivengear), receiving mechanical energy against the spring to generate thestored potential energy. When the toy body has potential energy, and isreleased, the motor drive/driven gear 62 drives the axel drive/drivengear 50, and, therefore, the axel and wheels. The pull-back mechanism 60may be implemented by any means known to the skilled person, as shown inthe figures, for example, in reliance upon a spring or other tensioningmechanism 64.

FIG. 6A highlights a controller 70 maintained within the housing 42 thatis electrically connected to the eyes 22 via wire(s) to provide anelectrical potential sufficient to light up the LEDS embodying same. Thecontroller includes a microcontroller, or other logical elements (notshown) and an energy source for powering the microcontroller or otherlogical elements, and the eyes. The energy source may be anelectromechanical cell or a microgenerator, which includes a micromagnetand rotor that turns with the axle to generate a current, which isaccumulated and stored as an electrical potential in an energy storagedevice (also not shown), as known to the skilled person.

FIG. 6B highlights a controller 70 maintained within the housing 42 thatis electrically connected to the eyes 22 via wire(s) 72 to provide anelectrical potential sufficient to light up the LEDS embodying same andconnected via a wire 73 to a sound transducer 74 in the mouth 24 togenerate sounds (in addition to lighting the eyes) according to thelogic of controller 70. As explained, the controller includes amicrocontroller, or other logical elements (not shown) and an energysource for powering the microcontroller or other logical elements, theeyes 22 and sound transducer. The energy source may be anelectro-mechanical cell or a microgenerator, which includes amicromagnet and rotor that turns with the axle to generate a current,which is accumulated and stored as an electrical potential in an energystorage device (also not shown), as known to the skilled person.

The controller 70 includes at least at least one sensing element forsensing that the pull-back mechanism 60 has generated and storedmechanical energy, defining a “primed” logical state. Themicrocontroller or logical elements might implement in reliance, forexample, on a variable energy_store=1 to define this primed statelogically (e.g., goes to logical high state as soon as energy starts tobe stored). The sensor, or an additional sensor senses when the toy isreleased to move forward, being driven by the stored mechanical energyused as kinetic energy. The microcontroller or logical elements mightimplement this “go” state in reliance, for example, on a variablerelease_to_go=1 to defined this release to go state logically (e.g.,goes to logical high state as soon as energy is being used to drive axleand move toy forward.

When energy_store=1 and release_to_go=1, AND logic (energy_store ANDrelease_to_go=1) enables electrical connection between themicrocontroller and logical elements to drive the LEDs (eyes 22) or thesound transducer 74 or both, for a limited time, intermittently, oruntil all the potential energy is detected to be used. The inventionprovides a self-propelled toy 10 comprising a toy body 20 attached to a“drive and control” module 40. A mechanical connector 30 is arrangedwith a body-connect portion 32 attached to the toy body 20 (e.g.,underneath the toy body to minimize its visibility) and a dricon-connectportion 34 connected to the drive and control module 40 (e.g., on thetop of the drive and control module). Connect pins 31 on the bodyconnect portion 32 of the mechanical connector 30 are received inopenings for connect pins 35, as shown in the figures.

In the alternate embodiment of FIGS. 7 and 8 , the sliding sports player110 has a body 120 may be any toy body, but preferably a 3-dimensional(3D) depicted sports player in a sliding or running position, and mostpreferably, the toy body 120 includes eyes 122 in the form of lightemitting diodes and/or a mouth 124 that is at least partially open andin which is positioned a sound-emitting element 126, such as atransducer, where the eyes and sound-emitting element are activated toemit sound and light (in a pattern), respectively, when theself-propelled toy is pulled back or wound and released.

The drive and control module 140 embodies a housing. On a bottom side ofthe housing (opposite the top side with the dricon-connect portion 34,similar to that shown in FIGS. 1-6B), a single axle 146 with wheels 148on opposing ends and an axel drive/driven gear is arranged. The wheels148 contact the ground during intended use, where the housing alsoincludes a ground contact point, which is arranged relatively towardsthe front, when considering that the axle 146 and wheels 148 arearranged relatively towards the back of the housing. The wheels 148 andthe ground contact point therefore provide for 3 point balance groundcontact, so the toy may sit or move stably with minimal friction betweenthe ground contact point and the ground.

A pull-back mechanism 160 (shown in brackets in FIGS. 7 and 8 ), whichpreferably comprises a spring-loaded motor mechanism, also is arrangedin or on the housing of the drive and control module 140, and includes amotor drive/driven gear 162, which drivingly connects to the axeldrive/driven gear 150. When the toy body connected to the housing or thedrive and control module is pulled back to generate and store mechanicalpotential energy, the axel drive/driven gear 150 drives the motordrive/driven gear 162 (operating as a driven gear), receiving mechanicalenergy against the spring to generate the stored potential energy. Whenthe toy body has potential energy, and is released, the motordrive/driven gear 162 drives the axel drive/driven gear 150, and,therefore, the axel and wheels. The pull-back mechanism 160 may beimplemented by any means known to the skilled person, as shown in thefigures, for example, in reliance upon a spring or other tensioningmechanism.

FIG. 8 highlights a controller 170 maintained within the housing 140that is electrically connected to the eyes 122 of the sports player 110via wire(s) 172 to provide an electrical potential sufficient to lightup the LEDS embodying same. The controller includes a microcontroller,or other logical elements (not shown) and an energy source for poweringthe microcontroller or other logical elements, and the eyes. The energysource may be an electromechanical cell or a microgenerator, whichincludes a micromagnet and rotor that turns with the axle to generate acurrent, which is accumulated and stored as an electrical potential inan energy storage device (also not shown), as known to the skilledperson.

FIG. 8 also highlights a controller 170 maintained within the housing140 that is electrically connected to the eyes 122 of the sports player110 via wire(s) 172 to provide an electrical potential sufficient tolight up the LEDS embodying same and connected via a wire 173 to a soundtransducer 174 in the mouth 124 to generate sounds (in addition tolighting the eyes) according to the logic of controller 170. Asexplained, the controller includes a microcontroller, or other logicalelements (not shown) and an energy source for powering themicrocontroller or other logical elements, the eyes 122 and soundtransducer 174. The energy source may be an electro-mechanical cell or amicrogenerator, which includes a micromagnet and rotor that turns withthe axle to generate a current, which is accumulated and stored as anelectrical potential in an energy storage device (also not shown), asknown to the skilled person.

The controller 170 includes at least at least one sensing element forsensing that the pull-back mechanism 160 has generated and storedmechanical energy, defining a “primed” logical state. Themicrocontroller or logical elements might implement in reliance, forexample, on a variable energy_store=1 to define this primed statelogically (e.g., goes to logical high state as soon as energy starts tobe stored). The sensor, or an additional sensor senses when the toy isreleased to move forward, being driven by the stored mechanical energyused as kinetic energy. The microcontroller or logical elements mightimplement this “go” state in reliance, for example, on a variablerelease_to_go=1 to defined this release to go state logically (e.g.,goes to logical high state as soon as energy is being used to drive axleand move toy forward.

When energy_store=1 and release_to_go=1, AND logic (energy_store ANDrelease_to_go=1) enables electrical connection between themicrocontroller and logical elements to drive the LEDs (eyes 122) or thesound transducer 174 or both, for a limited time, intermittently, oruntil all the potential energy is detected to be used.

Although the foregoing invention has been described in terms of certainspecific embodiments, other embodiments of the invention will beapparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from the disclosureherein. Moreover, the described embodiments have been presented by wayof example only and are not intended to limit the scope of thedisclosure. Indeed, the novel processes and systems described herein maybe embodied in a variety of other forms without departing from thespirit thereof.

What is claimed is:
 1. A self-propelled toy, comprising: a toy body; a“drive and control” module, including a housing; a connector forconnecting the drive and control module to, and disconnecting the driveand control module from, the toy body; an axle with wheels on opposingends and an axel drive/driven gear, attached to the drive and controlmodule housing; a pull-back mechanism arranged in or on the drive andcontrol module housing that includes a motor drive/driven gear 62 thatdrivingly connects to the axel drive/driven gear, wherein upon pullingback the toy body with the wheels touching the ground, the pull-backmechanism generates and stores mechanical potential energy, which uponrelease of the toy body, translates to kinetic energy to drive the toyin a direction opposite that of the pull-back direction; and acontroller arranged on or in the drive and control module housing,connected to the pull-back mechanism and electrically connected to atleast one light emitting diode (LED) in the toy body, the controllerincluding a microcontroller, or other logical elements and arechargeable energy source for powering the microcontroller or otherlogical elements, and the at least one LED; wherein the controllerincludes at least one sensing element for sensing when the pull-backmechanism has generated and stored mechanical energy, defining a“primed” logical state, and when toy is released to allow the toy tomove forward, defining a “go” state; and wherein, if in the primed stateand the go state, the at least one LED is powered to generate a lightsignal.
 2. The toy of claim 1, wherein said toy body is any of a mammal,a reptile, a fish, a dinosaur and a sliding or running human sportsplayer, all with a plurality of eyes, wherein said at least one LED isin each eye of said plurality of eyes of each said toy body.
 3. The toyof claim 2, further including a sound transducer electrically connectedto the controller that emits a sound signal when in the primed statedand the go state.
 4. The toy of claim 3, wherein said toy body is any ofa mammal, a reptile, a fish, a dinosaur and a sliding or running humansports player, all with a mouth in each said toy body, and wherein asound transducer is arranged in each mouth of each said toy body.
 5. Thetoy of claim 4, wherein the sound transducer emits a sound signal whenin the primed stated and the go state.
 6. The toy of claim 2, whereinthe said toy body comprising said sliding or running human sportsplayer, is selected from the group of consisting of a slidingsoccer/baseball/softball player, a runner, a skier, a basketball player,a football player, a hockey player, a tennis player, and/or a pickleballplayer.
 7. The toy of claim 4, wherein the said toy body comprising saidsliding or running human sports player, is selected from the group ofconsisting of a sliding soccer/baseball/softball player, a runner, askier, a basketball player, a football player, a hockey player, a tennisplayer, and/or a pickleball player.